The Art of Crime
Friends, Romans, Prisoners, Lend Me Your Ears?
What on earth do incarcerated women and Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” have in common? Absolutely nothing, you may think. I thought similarly until I saw an incredible all-female production last week of “Julius Caesar” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York. Modern re-imaginings of Shakespeare are of course nothing new—and sometimes, they are painfully terrible. But this version of “Julius Caesar,” directed by Phyllida Lloyd of “Mamma Mia” and “The Iron Lady” fame, is entirely successful in its creativity and innovation. Lloyd sets the classic play of “Julius Caesar” in a prison, with all female felons playing the different characters. It may sound too far-fetched, but as one New York Times reviewer put it about the play’s London production with the same cast: “Who would have guessed that the London production currently boasting the greatest testosterone also happens not to have a single man in its cast?”
Imperfect Heroism
Sometimes “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” can be very difficult to watch. The show rarely holds back in its emotional heaviness: serial rapists, sociopathic criminals, and murders of children are common topics. And while it is entertaining to see how the investigations unfold, sometimes it does end up being truly disturbing. I’ve had one too many SVU nightmares after mistakenly watching it before falling asleep.